Lazy Day
by zabbini
Summary: Angelica Schuyler is finally reunited with her long-term boyfriend Thomas Jefferson, and they can't think of any better way to celebrate than having a lazy day to enjoy each other's company.


Summer.

 _Finally._

Being in college was no laughing matter, Angelica soon discovered. Of course, she could study with the best of them, and her performance was not lacking by anyone's standards-except for her own. She was a perfectionist, and proud of it. She took difficult classes and wowed them all with her intellect and wit, no matter the personal costs. Minor things, like food and sleep.

But even Angelica grew weary from college life, and longed for a break.

That was why she was immensely relieved the sun had risen on sixth day of the week at last. The end of term. Saturday. That, and today also happened to be the day her boyfriend was arriving on campus for a fortnight before returning to his summer home-she hadn't seen him in nearly three months. They conversed weekly over video chats and late night phone calls, but nothing would be like being in his arms again.

Now, Angelica was standing at the airport just outside of baggage claim waiting for his curly head to appear. She wanted to be the first thing he saw when he came down the escalator, but looking longingly at the benches yards away, she regretted her choice in footwear. Although, she was starting to get a little uneasy. She was punctual if nothing else, and arrived ten minutes earlier than he told her he would be there, but he was going on late.

She looked down at her phone for the third time in as many minutes, letting a shred of doubt creep in. _Nothing had happened, right? He was safe, wasn't he?_ Of course, she reasoned. If he did not land, she would have heard about it. Someone would have said something. Angelica tried to convince herself he was just relieving himself after a long flight and glanced at her phone another time.

Just as she was thinking about the last message he had sent her, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her torso and lifted her ever so slightly into the air. She squealed quite loudly.

"Thomas!" Angelica tried to sound reprimanding, but his name came out light and amidst a laugh on her lips. Her tone had betrayed her delight to see him. "You scared me!"

"Then I'm afraid you're losing your touch."

She turned around smiling, and the first she saw of him was a smile of his own. She took a step back and just stared. She could look at him forever. He did not seem to mind; his mind seemed to be following a similar track as hers.

He was wearing his faded purple vans that she could not get him to throw out, double knotted just the way he liked. His well worn sweats fell around his frame in a way that was too careless to look intentional, but he filled them out well just the same. A band name she was not familiar with graced the shirt across his chest, interrupted only by his dangling headphones peeking through the collar. His curly afro was free, falling proudly at shoulder length. He was wearing his glasses.

He looked the picture of comfort and style, and he stood beaming back at her from their position a few feet apart. Sensing his lingering gaze, she thought it was time to further the conversation.

"See something you like?" She blinked innocently.

That seemed to snap him out of his reverie, and his trademark smirk found its way onto his face. He gathered up his bags in one arm and slung the other around her waist as he closed the distance between them and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Something I love." He whispered with unapologetic honesty. "Shall we?" He held his arm out, gesturing for her to lead the way to the car.

Yes.

Summer was here.

At last.

#

"Thomas, we have to get up eventually."

A groan. "No, we don't."

"Yes, honey. We do."

One sleepy eye creaked open from underneath an arm, suspicious. "You called me honey."

Angelica sat up, disentangling herself from his embrace. The arm that was not thrown over his face had been wrapped around her waist, securing her to him in the night. "Did I?"

"Yes, _dear_." Thomas sat up as well, not without some groaning and stretching. "You did."

"Well, I don't see the need to emphasize it," She started, getting defensive. "I am allowed to call my boyfriend of two years a pet name."

"Yes, you are. You just choose not to. Not unless you're feeling guilty about something." He leaned in inches from her face, then put his lips to her ear. "Something I should know about?"

She batted him on the chest and rolled her eyes. But did nothing to deny it, her usual quick wit nowhere to be found this early in the morning.

Angelica grabbed his hand and played with the tips of his fingers, something she did when she had no wish to say what was on her mind.

"I don't...have a plan." She hesitantly admitted.

It was true. Amidst all the studying and college duties, she could hardly find time to bathe, much less plan for his trip to see her. She was deeply ashamed; he had spent time and money dedicated to visiting her, and she had not so much as given this trip a spare thought. Now that he was here, the guilt was very present.

He seemed to consider her answer for a moment. Then nodded his head as though this did not prove further that she was lacking in this relationship.

"Okay," he said simply.

"Okay?" she repeated.

"Yes, _my love_." Angelica rolled her eyes. Teasing her through the guilt? That was more like it. "No itinerary, no issue. This just calls for a lazy day."

"Are you quite serious?" She checked, eyeing him to make sure he was not deceiving her.

"As a heart attack."

She considered this. Then she lay back down, dragging him with her.

"I suppose we don't have to get up eventually, after all."

She pulled him into a slow kiss from above her, and he rested his weight on his forearms as his body slotted directly over hers.

"No, we don't."

#

"Don't go in the closet!"

"Thomas, she can't hear you."

"I told you not to go in! Didn't I tell her not to go in the closet?"

He addressed Angelica, but didn't look at her as his eyes were still glued to the screen. She tried to glare halfheartedly, because really, he was just too much sometimes. He always told her not to go in, and of course she always did, and he repeatedly got upset. It was a vicious cycle.

Only she couldn't glare, because she was currently so wrapped up in him she could not tell which limbs were whose.

Angelica was currently between his legs leaning back on his chest, the blankets strewn around them for warmth lay forgotten. Their body heat was more than enough. Thomas' chin was just above her head, and she could feel every syllable he spoke reverberate through his chest. They were holding hands, and as his other arm lay possessively on her stomach, her left hand reached out to tug on his curls to bring out his attention.

"You always tell her not to go in. She always goes in. You always get upset. Why do you continue to be surprised?" She said, repeating her earlier thought.

He just kissed the top of her head and leaned down to kiss her ear,

"Because whenever I'm upset you always kiss me better."

Angelica turned in his arms so she was facing him, and planted a kiss to his collarbone before looking into his eyes. His were closed.

"All better?"

He simply shook his head.

She reached up and planted two chaste kisses on both of his cheeks before pulling back. She could almost feel the groan threaten to escape.

"Angelica…"

She smiled, finally gave in, and kissed him. He responded immediately. She tugged on his bottom lip between her teeth, and he was too busy with his hands running up her back to protest.

They kissed for a little while longer, enjoying the other's company, his hair properly mussed after a few minutes. A scream came from the TV.

Angelica was essentially pushed from his lap as Thomas leaned close to the TV.

"What'd I miss?"

#

"You're a cheater."

No one was more surprised than Thomas. He had just discovered that Angelica, long-term girlfriend, love of his life, was a cheater.

At Mario Kart!

"Using the tools to help win the game is not cheating. It's strategizing."

Her character, Peach (of course), was currently holding up her 1st place trophy in the individual racing round, Thomas' Bowser looking on longingly from the second step on the podium. She had won when, on the last lap of the last race, she threw a red shell at Thomas and passed him as he flipped into the air. They had been neck and neck.

"I can't even be talking to you right now. You actually _cheat_! Does Peggy know?"

Angelica rolled her eyes.

"I repeat-"

"I'm going to have to rethink this," Thomas went on. "How could I marry someone who disgraces such a sacred game?"

Angelica actually gaped.

"Marry?"

Thomas did not seem to notice her incredulous look, or the brief silence that followed her question.

"Well, there's no telling what might happen now."

She slapped him upside the head.

" _Marry?_ "

As he rubbed the sore spot, he seemed to finally understand he had not yet popped the question.

"Ah. Right. That. "

Angelica was not amused by his sentence fragments.

"Thomas, are you quite serious? About marrying me, I mean." She asked him that question awfully frequently.

He looked between them, both sitting on the floor with controllers in their hands, the music of Mario Kart still playing in the background. They had been having the most fun until just now; the irony was not lost on him.

He dropped his remote and turned to his right to completely face the love of his life. She did the same, turning to her left.

"Don't be daft, of course I am. I love you."

Angelica moved within an inch of her best friend. Her rock. Her soon-to-be husband - _maybe._

"Why?"

Thomas narrowed his eyes, now not believing that _she_ was serious.

"You keep me on my toes and make sure that I don't just eat M&M's. Your hair smells so good it's all I can do to not run my fingers through it every second. You don't take any of my shit. You're beautiful. You're amazing at Mario. What's not to love?"

Somewhere in the middle of his speech she had begun to blush and still had not stopped. Only he would propose without actually proposing. She was not looking at him. She began to speak anyway.

"Thomas," she grabbed his face and kissed the tip of his nose. "You are..." she struggled to find the words, "impossible. Idiotic. Childish. Absolutely ridiculous." A breathy laugh that gave away the watering of her eyes. "And so completely mine."

He smiled. As usual, she was completely correct.

"Is that a yes?"

"Funnily enough, I don't recall a question ever being asked." A fine brown eyebrow raised in challenge.

Thomas pulled her onto his lap rather hurriedly.

"My dearest Angelica-"

"Yes." She never had been a patient woman. "Yes, you idiot. Of course."

Just like that he carried her, bridal style, to the bedroom and shut the door. This was cause for celebration.

#

"You can only eat two slices of one pizza before you must switch to a different kind. It's only fair."

Peggy Schuyler's diplomatic voice rang across the dinner table, loud and clear. It was followed by grumbles from all the boys (though unsurprisingly not Lafayette), and she continued,

"I don't make the rules."

"You _do_ , actually." Mulligan pouted, previously reaching for three slices of the meatlovers. He had a feeling her announcement was not aimed toward the general population. "Why order my favorite if I can't even eat it?"

"Two slices is not enough?" Eliza's light question trying to ease the tension, lest Peggy not allow him to eat at all.

"And no, she _doesn't_ make the rules." Angelica strode in from the bathroom, taking her previous place by her fiancee's right side. "That was always a rule in our house growing up. Father only ever ordered two pizzas."

The three sisters locked eyes and let out airy laughs. Father never let his coins far out of his sight.

"Please tell me Angelica can eat four slices of pizza and still fill out that dress the way she does." This from Burr. Mulligan's mouth was full, but he eagerly nodded his assent.

Thomas was not amused.

"The way Angelica 'fills out that dress' is none of your damn business." He snapped. Then he put his right arm on her left knee, an obvious possessive gesture.

The Schuyler sisters, in perfect sync, rolled their eyes, and each slapped a boy upside the head. Peggy was on Mulligan's direct right, so she did the honors for his. Thomas was sitting at the head of the table directly across from Alexander, and he received his own slap from his bride-to-be on the right. Eliza graciously gave Burr his slap, also having been seated on his immediate right.

"Everyone hush." A silencing look from Angelica.

"That would be enough." A disappointed one from Eliza.

"Let's eat!" and, of course, Peggy.

#

Hours later, the dinner party was at last over.

Thomas and Angelica had originally invited everyone over to tell them of the upcoming nuptial, but eventually decided on telling their friends separately. Essentially, Thomas (ever the center of attention) would tell all the boys and Angelica would tell her sisters.

Thomas took all the boys out for quality time, which would no doubt include booze and gambling. Angelica and her two younger sisters stayed at home and proceeded to have a long overdue sleepover. They were now watching a scary movie in the living room.

Eliza had never really been good at watching these, and both of her sisters were huddled around her in one thick blanket on the couch.

Angelica did not share this, but she, too, could only watch these kinds of movies with Thomas and not feel afraid. Without his warmth, she grabbed the next closest thing: his pillow. Currently wrapped around it and her sister her shaking eased a little. All three girls were tense until the credits rolled.

"Phew," Peggy breathed. "We actually made it through."

"Turn on all the lights." A plea from Eliza. Angelica complied.

"Okay." When Angelica came back, both of her sisters had determined looks on their faces. That could not have been good.

"What is it?" Peggy blurted. Eliza gave her a look, and turned back to Angelica.

"She _means_ , what do you want to tell us?"

"How did you know I wanted to tell you something?" Angelica asked, surprised.

Peggy raised an eyebrow. "The dinner party. The impromptu sleepover. And you also never let me pick the movie unless you're excited about something else." An evil glint in her eye.

"Margaret Schuyler!" she chastised. "You took advantage of me."

Peggy shrugged. "It's only fair. You're hiding something. Now, spill."

Angelica sad Indian-style in front of two of her favorite people in the world. All of a sudden, she was worried about what they might say. Would they approve? Would they think it was too soon? That she was rushing into this headfirst?

"Angelica, dear," Eliza's hands covered hers where she had been wringing them. "You can tell us."

Angelica breathed out. Of course she could. These girls were her blood. Her sisters.

"Thomas asked me if I would marry him. And I said yes." She squeezed her eyes shut as the second sentence came out, not wanting to see their disapproval. Next thing she knew, two identical squeals sounded and she was thrown backward from a strong bear hug.

"Angelicaohmygodthisisamazingyoutwoareperfect-" Peggy's rushed speech.

"You two will make a beautiful couple, oh my goodness and this means you can have children soon-" Eliza more excited than Angelica had ever seen her.

Angelica held up her hand.

"You don't think it is too soon? That I was foolish to say yes?"

Peggy rolled her eyes, and Eliza let out a small chuckle.

"Of course not," Peggy laughed. "Thomas has only been in love with you for five years."

"Only wanting to propose for three." Eliza said with a twinkle in her eye.

"But we've only been dating for two years." Angelica reminded them. "That's not possible."

"Who do you think told him to hurry up and ask you out in the first place?" Peggy snorted. "Junior year was depressing, even for me, watching him moon after you."

"Thomas has been trying to propose since freshman year of college, dear." Eliza gave her a faintly amused look. "We are surprised he held out this long."

Angelica was too shocked for words. She couldn't believe he had been pining after her for five years.

She grabbed her sister's hands and squeezed. "I love you both so much."

They laughed.

"We know." Peggy said. "But we're waiting for you to tell us the one thing we don't know."

Eliza's look became falsely innocent. "Who's going to be your maid of honor?"

Oh, hell.

#

Thomas came home around 3:00 in the morning, and as he stumbled into her room and flopped onto his stomach with just enough care not to hurt her, the love for him she felt swelled in her chest. Even in a blackout drunken state, he was aware enough for her safety to know his weight could crush her, and to wrap an arm around her waist for protection in the night. She smiled. When her sisters were gone and the sun came up, she would show him exactly how much she loved him.

But that was for tomorrow.

Today was her lazy day.


End file.
